


If You Seek Me

by hudsteith



Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Craigslist, Dom is awesome here!, Early Queen (Band), F/M, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Threesome
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:42:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24074644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hudsteith/pseuds/hudsteith
Summary: John and Veronica broke the kiss when they heard a knock on the door. John smiled nervously to his wife and she nodded to encourage him. So he got up and walk to the door.When he opened it, he saw a man leaned against the corner, looking devastedly handsome with his blond hair and pinky lips. And with those lips he formed a smirk when he met John's eyes.''Hi there.''
Relationships: Dominique Beyrand & Roger Taylor, John Deacon/Roger Taylor, John Deacon/Veronica Terzlaff/Roger Taylor, John Deacon/Veronica Tetzlaff
Comments: 110
Kudos: 59





	1. Promo

_Brian said he needed to finish a paper today, and welcomed Roger on the band again. And he left the pub._

_Freddie stayed some minutes more, and then said he forgot he had to meet a ''friend'' right now, but Roger saw (not on purpose) a nude on Freddie's phone. And he left too._

_Letting John and Roger alone._

_John pretended he's interested on the news, looking to the pub telly firmly, but he could feel the drummer's blue eyes on him. Yeah, he wouldn't let go easily._

_Turning around, he saw Roger smiled widely. The bass player could smell trouble._

_''I think we need to talk.'' Stated John, sighing._

_''You bet we do.'' Roger smirked, shamelessly._

_''Can you, please, not tell to my bandmates that we already had sex?''_

June 1th.


	2. Love me, Hate me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, the first chapter today :)

Roger was walking on the Imperial College halls calmly. He was surprisingly early for his audition, so he was quite fine to look around and enjoy seeing the pretty people of the campus. He was there to do an audition for his childhood friend Brian.

They had met up again a week ago in a pub. Brian was more than glad to see the blond, and got happier when he said he’d never let his passion for drumming. The curly-haired man was in need of a drummer for his band called Queen since the band had lost the last drummer two weeks ago. Brian was honest with him, they weren’t making a lot of money with music, just enough to pay the gas for their van and some bills, but Roger didn’t mind; he knew that he needed a distraction from having Biology as his major.

So, already in the auditorium Brian said to him he had found a drum kit at the stage (Brian asked the drum kit from a friend at college). The drummer walked to the instrument and sat on the chair behind it, just to adjust the height and everything.

Minutes after, the door opened again and Roger looked up seeing Brian talking with a very stylish man. He looked enthusiastic and gesticulated all the time with the taller man. Roger stood up and made his way to them.

“Oh, Roger, you’re already there. Good.” Welcomed Brian, smiling. “This is our main singer Freddie Mercury. He’s studying Design here.”

“Hi, Freddie. Nice to meet you.” Roger extended his hand.

“Nice to meet you, Roger.” Freddie grabbed his hand, shaking them slightly. The man looked him up and down, smirking in the end. “I bet the birds will stay longer in our gigs with you in the band. Some blokes too.”

Roger smiled shamelessly.

“Please, don’t shag each other.” Asked Brian, making a weird face.

“Oh, Brian, you know me well enough to see that he’s too much thin to be my type. No offense.” Freddie said, in a light tone.

“Non taken.” Roger laughed. “And where’s the bass player?”

“John is talking with his wife on the phone.” Freddie seemed a bit distressed with the fact, and Roger just hummed. “Marriage, am I right? Having sex with just one person for the rest of your life must be boring. Imagine their talking, like about groceries. Ugh!”

“Can you not scare Rog before the audition?” Brian raised his eyebrows.

“No, dear, he needs to know exactly what he’s getting into.”

The door opened one more time, revealing a man with short brown hair and long legs, distractedly putting his cellphone on his jeans pocket. Roger looked at him and smiled widely. 

This was getting more interesting than ever.

“Sorry, Ronnie didn’t stop talking about dinner and I...” he finally looked up the the three men and he stopped talking when his eyes found Roger’s.

His lips parted a little, in a clear surprise, and his green eyes shined in a weird way. He somehow looked shocked with the vision in front of him. He walked to his bandmates, staying at Brian’s side.

“So, John, that’s Roger Taylor, my mate I told you about.” Brian spoke, pointing to the blond. “Roger, that’s John Deacon, our bass player.”

“Our amazing bass player.” Added Freddie.

Roger could feel John was a bit out of his comfort zone in the moment, so he thought it’d be the best if he talked first. “Nice to meet you, John. Brian actually talked a lot about you in our meeting last week, of how many great bass riffs you created already.”

This made John get out of his trance and cleared his throat. “Funny how he says this to other people but never to me.”

“And what’d be the point?” teased Brian. 

“Just for the record, dear, what’s your sun sign?” asked Freddie, curious, and Roger saw Brian and John rolling their eyes.

“Leo.” Replied the blond. He didn’t believe much on that, but it didn’t hurt to know. “Why?”

“I’m thinking on the band’s logo, and I’m trying some ideas. John is also a Leo, so two lions in the logo...Hm, that seems marvelous!”

“Is he?” Roger smiled a bit more, looking to the bass player. “How about that.”

“You shouldn’t think about this now, Freddie. You don’t even know if he’ll be in the band.”

The drummer sensed something by the man’s tone, and his smile grew bigger. He liked a challenge.

“Since John is already here, you can go to stage, Roger, and show what you have for us.”

Roger nodded and went to the stage again, watching the other three man going to sit, talking about something he couldn’t hear. But in that moment it didn’t matter. Right now he just needed to stay focused on his drumming.

He looked to the men, seeing how much John was trying to not look back.

“Anytime you want, mate.” Said Brian, nodding.

\---

Freddie said the moment deserved a celebration, and he managed to drag Brian (who said all the time he had tons of college paper to do) at the nearest pub. It was still the middle of the week, so of course they wouldn’t get drunk. Specially after Brian repeated for the 10th time how much paperwork he had when he head home.

“I swear to God I don’t know how Anita stands you.” Freddie said, in a teasing way. “She probably muffle your mouth during sex, right?”

“Christ, Freddie, you know Roger for less than three hours and you already mentioned sex twice.” Brian hissed, but Freddie just shrugged, careless, and the guitar player turned to Roger. “Sorry about that, mate.”

“Please, May, I don’t mind.” Roger waved. “I want my bandmates to feel themselves comfortable around me.”

John just got up from the booth and walked to the pub restroom. Roger just looked with amusement the brunet walking away.

“John is a bit shy, too much quiet.” Brian pointed when he saw Roger’s look. “Quite the bassist stereotype.”

“He dances a lot tho.” Freddie thought it’d be fun to add the fact.

Roger just nodded, and took a sip of his beer.

“I hope with you we can finally make an album. John’s wife said he’d have to leave the band if Queen wouldn’t start to make money.”

 _Oh, his wife_. Roger almost forgot.

John came back and Brian said that now they had found a new drummer they could restart to play at gigs again, saying how much he missed a party.

“You didn’t say what happened with the last drummer.” Commented Roger, curious.

The other three looked to each other, a bit concerned, but in the end Freddie said “Well, he didn’t like the fact that I’m gay, which was very weird for him to not know this. We were playing together for six months and I never tried to hide it.”

“So” Brian spoke “he tried to bash Freddie out after seeing him kissing a man in the pub we were playing. Shortening the story, Deaky kicked him in the sack and he was out of the band.”

Roger looked at John, who was still in silence, and gave him a smile. The blond saw a flatting blush cover his cheeks, but soon he was hiding his face with his large cup with beer.

“He’s a dick.” Simply said Roger.

Freddie seemed pleasant with his comment, smiling kindly to the drummer, and finished “Anyway, he wasn’t even a good drummer, so it wasn’t a big loss.”

“And you’re way better than him. I can tell only with your audition.” Brian clapped softly Roger’s back.

“Brian complimenting someone. That’s something to celebrate.” Joked John, in a low tone.

“Fuck off.”

Roger could feel how tense the brunet was next to him, like he was waiting something to happen so he could run. He could sense what wa his problem, and held his giggle hard on his throat. 

Brian said he needed to finish his paper today, and welcomed Roger on the band again before leaving the pub.

Freddie stayed some minutes more, and then said he had forgotten he had to meet a “friend” right now, but Roger saw (not on purpose) a nude on Freddie’s phone. And he left too.

Letting John and Roger alone. 

John pretended he was interested on the news, looking to the pub telly firmly, but he could feel the drummer’s blue eyes on him. Yeah, he wouldn’t let go easily. 

Lingering as much as he could, John finally gave up and turned around, and he saw Roger smiling widely. The bass player could smell trouble.

“I think we need to talk.” Stated John, sighing.

“You bet we do.” Roger smirked, shamelessly.

“Can you, please, not tell to my bandmates that we already had sex?”


	3. What you want about me

_John was heading home late. Again._

_Not that it wasn’t something he liked to do often, but sometimes he got too into the rehearsal, and time fled very fast when he was having fun. Music was one of the few things that brought him joy in life._

_But Veronica didn’t like it when this happened._

_They were having dinner in silence, John feeling with every second that passed that he was in trouble. And then she started to sigh loudly._

_“Are you okay, babe?” asked John, knowing very well what’d come next. But he was guilty, so he needed to accept his punishment._

_Veronica dropped the cutlery and said “I’m fine, John. Just a bit tired of taking care of our son alone, and during all day I was just counting the hours for you to come back home.”_

_The brunet man breathed heavily. There they go. “I’m sorry, Ronnie, but Brian asked me to re-do a riff so many –”_

_“Brian is a very nice friend of ours, but he’s not married and he’s not a father, so of course he doesn’t have any attachments at home.”_

_“Freddie asked me to stay a bit more, and –”_

_“He’s also a good friend and I like him deeply, but” Veronica took off his sassy mask and showed a real tiredness. “he doesn’t know what you’re passing through. What we’re passing through.”_

_They shared a glance. Of course Veronica was right. They just had a baby and Veronica was about to go back to work, and they couldn’t afford right now to pay a nanny. The couple wanted to start a life, without the help of their parents, so they needed to make some sacrifices._

_“John, I know that you love Queen, and I love that you have this passion.” The woman nodded, to reassure. “But you have bills to pay, and a child to provide. I don’t think we can wait for Queen to rise up.”_

_The brunet knew the time would come, he just tried to make it last._

_“I promise I will be at home on time.” John took Veronica’s hand and kissed it. “But can we make a try? Give me at least a year. If at Robert’s first anniversary Queen isn’t famous yet, I’ll quit.”_

_Veronica was already prepared for a possible bargain, looking to his husband’s dreamy eyes. That’s why she loved him: she knew how he thought. “One year.” She repeated._

_\---_

_Since the baby got born they tried to have sex, so many times._

_Robert was peacefully napping upstairs, while John and Veronica were making out like teenagers at the living room. The man was kissing his wife with want, sucking her lips over and over, and he was getting hard too fast._

_To not waste time, Veronica took off her blouse and bra, revealing her tits. John took one on his hand and started to massage her nipple, and he heard her hissing. He pulled away and looked confused to her. “Sorry. Too sensitive.”_

_Back to the kiss, John was investing hungrier this time, and Veronica moaned against him, and the man could feel her grinding on his lap, as full of lust as him. John traveled to her neck, giving love bites on the skin, the last one being a bit stronger than the other ones._

_“Oh, fuck, John!” exclaimed Veronica._

_And a crying was heard. They groaned, frustrated, Veronica got up, dressing herself again, leaving John with an almost hard cock between his legs._

_He loved his son, he surely did, but John also needed to have sex._

_Now back to the living room, Veronica was holding Robert, the baby getting fed, holding with his whole hand his mother’s index finger, satisfacted with the food. John smiled when the two sat next to him, caressing his son’s head with the back of his finger._

_“Ronnie, I don’t want to sound rude, but how about next month we ask your mom to stay with Robert? Our anniversary is coming, maybe we could go to that restaurant downtown you love so much, and maybe...rent a hotel room for one night.” John tried to sound chill and light, because he really didn’t want to go to the wrong direction._

_Veronica looked first to her son and then to John, and bit her own lip. “Let me finish feeding Rob and we can talk, okay?”_

_\---_

_“Two men?!?”_

_Veronica just put Robert at his crib again and came back to the living room one more time. She said what she was thinking for their anniversary day, and John was more than surprised with her thought._

_“John, it’s not that bad.” The woman spoke._

_“You want two men inside you and ‘it’s not that bad’? Are you bloody serious?” John tried to keep his voice down, to not wake their son up again._

_“Don’t be such a prude. Everyone has fantasies. You have fantasies.” Veronica pointed to him, with a smile._

_“Of course I have, but that’s a fantasy, something that is in my mind and doesn’t necessarily need to get come true.”_

_John was a simple man, he didn’t have wild fantasies: some famous people, maybe getting a blowjob backstage, perhaps an orgy. But those things were just to dream about, to help him when he’s hard and Veronica wasn’t into it._

_“Babe, don’t be mad with me.” Veronica got closer and wrapped her hands around his neck, John a bit far away to reply. “Don’t say that you have never missed a male touch.”_

_John had had experiences. Some kisses, a few makeouts and one single handjob during high school. But then he started uni and met Veronica and they had been together ever since. She was the only person besides himself that knew he was bisexual._

_“It’s not just for me, John.” Whispered her, in a seductive tone. “It’s for both of us.”_

_John’s mouth got watered. Suddenly the vision of another man fucking Veronica is front of him wasn’t that horrible._

_He looked at his wife and said “Okay. I’m in, but we need some rules.”_

_They talked about it for the next week, trying to find a statement between them so they could both be comfortable and satisfacted._

_In the end they agreed it couldn’t be a friend of theirs. It must be a complete strange, that they only would meet that night and they’d never contact him again. And it couldn’t be in that house (just to avoid any stalking)._

_Veronica looked confident with it, while John was still a bit reticent. But he wouldn’t let this vanish her wife’s hype._

_So a week after their anniversary they decided to publish an ad at Craigslist. How funny life is. John was always the person that laughed at people who made ads at Craigslist, and now he was one of them._

_It was short and precise._

Young straight couple looking for a mid-20s bisexual man for a fun night at August 15th. Photos will be sent later.

_24 hours later they looked up and saw three men were already interested. They sent photos to them, and they both got attracted by the second man. He was blond with a very charming smile. His name was Roger._

_The next day they sent the man a picture of them, and hours later they had a reply._ I liked what I saw. We have a date. Address?

_Before their...encounter John and Veronica went to dinner, in a nice restaurant Veronica chose. It was a calm night, when they could forget a bit about their house tasks and everything else. That night was only for them._

_When they got into the hotel room, the atmosphere changed. Both were nervous, and every second was more weird than the last one._

_“We can go home if you want to.” John said, sitting in the bed, next to his wife._

_“Still thinking he is a catfish?” smiled Veronica._

_John laughed, feeling the tension lowing. “He’s too handsome to be true. And to be at Craiglist.”_

_Veronica leaned in and kissed John. They wanted this, and if it didn’t work out at least they could laugh about it._

_John and Veronica broke the kiss when they heard a knock on the door. John smiled nervously to his wife and she nodded to encourage him. So he got up and walk to the door._

_When he opened it, he saw a man leaned against the corner, looking devastatingly handsome with his blond hair and pinky lips. And with those lips he formed a smirk when he met John's eyes._

_''Hi there.''_

_\---_

John looked around. There was no one that met him there.

“So, let me be straight with you.” John started, and Roger snorted. Maybe it was the straight pun, and the bass player just rolled his eyes. “I don’t want Freddie and Brian to know about...our night.”

“Why?” asked Roger, clearly curious about it.

“Because it’s personal and I don’t feel comfortable sharing it.”

“They wouldn’t bash you out, you know that, right? I mean, Freddie is gay, and Brian seems very okay with it.”

John closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He couldn’t believe he had to explain himself to that man. “I’m not the most easy person to open up.”

“Really? I haven’t noticed it.” The drummer giggled, and then a dirtier smile appeared. “Even tho I remember you were easy to open up –”

“Oh, Christ. No more jokes about that night!” snared the brunet.

Roger thought it was very amusing to tease the man, seeing him getting nervous and irritated with it, but he could sense that under all that it was real fear. He couldn’t understand why, but it wasn’t his place to judge.

“John.” Roger called. “Look, I’m not gonna say anything to anyone. It’s your life and your choices, so I’m not the one who will take you out of the closet.”

John looked at him, trying to decide if he could trust on the blond’s word or not. He was still an enigma for him.

“But I think you should say something to your wife, since I’ll be around.”


	4. It's hard to see

“Fuck!”

Veronica was cleaning the house when John arrived and called her to tell her the news.

Yeah, John was terrified. He easily avoided talking about the subject with anyone. He knew how to check out a man without being suspicious, specially around Freddie and Brian, and even when some bloke approached him after the show he knew how to not look aroused with their presence. He knew how to play pretend.

But now Roger was going be around, the only man he went deep on him, in many senses of the word.

He was afraid because he’d chosen Roger, so he clearly felt something, at least physically, for him. And they would be the band’s rhythm section, so they needed to be in sync, to know each other. To be close. Maybe being close would be a problem.

For Veronica wouldn’t be a problem, because they would only see each other once in a while, but John would see him at least three times a week, at rehearsals, and sometimes Freddie and Brian liked to visit him at home, so they probably would drag Roger with him. Ugh, this would be a nightmare.

During dinner John was way too deep in his own thoughts. Trying to find a way to be normal around the drummer, and thinking how to not alarm the other bandmates about them. Roger seemed to be a careless man, that didn’t mind about what people think about him. His life must be so much easier than John’s.

Already in bed, John was reading a book when Veronica laid down next to him. She was a bit undecided, but in the end she said “John.”

“Yeah, Ronnie?” John replied without taking his eyes away from the book.

“How did he look like?”

John closed the book and looked to his wife. She was blushing, and seemed curious.

“The same as he was last month.” John didn’t sound excited.

“Oh, you know what I mean.” Veronica rolled her eyes, amused.

Of course he knew what she meant. They didn’t know much about Roger – which was a saver for them, only knowing about his looks rather than anything more personal – and during the following month Veronica babbled about her assumptions about the blond man.

_Roger could sense the couple was nervous, so he asked some drinks for them. They needed to be more chill so they could enjoy the moment._

_After the third drink they were way more chill and giggled more with Roger’s charms. So the blond was feeling he could be a bit forward._

_“Let’s dance.” Roger took his phone and looked for a nice song. He played it and rested the phone on the bed, and took John’s hand._

_Veronica observed the two men dancing slowly, almost without moving, the pair exchanging looks. A strong red covered John’s cheeks when Roger linger the stare at him._

_“You’re a good dancer, John.” Pointed Roger, and he made John twirl._

_The brunet man laughed with the move, and soon he was around the blond’s arms again. “Thank you. I like to dance.”_

_“He really does.” Veronica added, giggling and sipping his drink again._

_“So...Is this your first time doing this?” Roger asked, still moving to the song rhythm._

_John took a bit to understand his question. Maybe the alcohol was getting the desired effect already. “Yeah. It’s our anniversary today.”_

_“Is it?” Roger showed a big smile and looked to Veronica, who confirmed with a nod. “Well, congratulations. Wow, I feel honoured.”_

_“He thought you were a catfish.” Veronica meddled._

_“John, how dare you?” Roger sounded offended, but he was clearly joking._

_John laughed in silence. “Well, you seemed...ah...”_

_“Too good to be true?” Roger smirked, proud. “Yeah, I heard that before.” Roger stopped dancing and landed his hand on John’s cheek, caressing it with his thumb. “You’re handsome too, John. Very handsome.”_

_The tone Roger said the two last words made John shivered. And he saw the blond bit his own lip and his thumb brushed on John’s lower lip._

_Veronica watched the scene, feeling her insides getting wet, and she put one hand on her upper thigh._

_“Have you ever kissed a man?” Roger questioned, and John nodded. “Have you ever had sex with a man?” John shook his head, suddenly feeling shy. “Hmmm, a first. I like that.”_

_The woman’s fingertips were crawling to the end of her dress, trying to quietly lift it up._

_“May I kiss your husband, Veronica?” asked Roger, without taking his eyes away from John._

_“Yes, please do.” Veronica’s voice was almost a moan._   
_John tremble with anticipation, seeing Roger’s face getting closer and closer._

“He’s a bit cocky and presumption, but he’s a good drummer, and that’s what we need. He’s too easy-going for my own liking.” John answered.

“You didn’t like Freddie’s style first and he’s your best friend now.” Veronica pointed, moving to look better to her husband.

“But this time is different.”

“In what way?”

John tried to put in words all the feelings he was building since the moment he saw Roger at the auditorium earlier. His stomach was aching, and that was not a good sign. 

His life was good and calm and normal. He didn’t want to change that because his one-time thing decided to show up without being asked.

“I feel I can’t trust Roger.” Stated John, frowning. “He said he won’t say anything but...I don’t like not being able control this situation.”

Veronica cupped his face and gave him a long and warm peck. “You always know what to do, John. I believe you’ll know this time too.”

They turned off the lights, but John stayed awake, thinking.

\--- 

John didn’t need to think about Roger until their next meeting. The bass player was the last to arrive, which was pointed by Freddie, teasing him that it had been the first time in years since he wasn’t the last one to show up to the rehearsal.

The brunet lasted to go. Something about Roger being around was still messing with him, in a very weird way.

John just grated them politely and worked on his bass, tuning it and plugging it into his amp.

“How is Robert?” asked Brian, while scratching himself up.

“He’s fine, but he’s still waking up during night.” Replied John, still focused on his bass.

“Who’s Robert, if I can ask?” this made John looked up.

Fuck, Roger couldn’t know about his family.

“John’s son. He’s the cutest thing ever.” Freddie chanted, and he took his phone, looking for something. Seconds after he showed a picture of baby Robert to the drummer.

“Oh, so you have a son. How nice.” Smiled Roger. And he saw a baby wrapped over a blue blanket with a cute cap on his head. “He’s cute. You and Veronica made an adorable baby.”

Brian blinked to him, confused. “I don’t remember we saying Veronica’s name to you.”

Roger and John shared a look, too quick for the other two to notice.

“Ah...John said at the auditorium ‘Ronnie’, so I assumed her name was Veronica.” Roger said, trying to sound chill.

John felt his heart almost ripped off his chest and falling to the ground. 

“Oh, yeah.” Freddie smiled. “You’d love to meet Veronica, she’s the best –”

“How about we stop talking about my family and start playing?” interrupted John, already too anxious to drop their talk. “I still need to get in line with Roger.”

\---

Roger was making it a bit hard for John to dislike him, because despite his sassiness and loose tongue, he was nice guy. The drummer was always giving him looks to speed up or to slow down, trying to stay in the rhythm, and giving him some advice. 

It was the third rehearsal with Roger and his bandmates were already too comfortable with him.

“I bet you have a good voice for singing, Roger.” Commented Freddie, during a break.

“Well, not to brag, but I do.” Roger said before drinking a glass of water. “But I don’t want you to feel threatened by me.”

“Oh, you wish, darling!”

“Alright, alright, you two.” Brian smiled, getting close to the two men. “Since we’re on a break, I can say that something was a bit off, Rog. So if you can add a –”

“Oh crap, warming time is over, Taylor. You’re officially at the band, since Brian will lecture you.” Whispered Freddie, putting his hand in front of his mouth, slightly leaning to the drummer.

“Hey, I heard that!” Brian exclaimed.

“Well, I wasn’t trying to hide it.” Freddie blinked.

John watched their interactions with a bit of jealousy. It was so easy for Roger, he had met Brian and Freddie and they just clicked. A bit unfair, since the bass player lingered _months_ to feel welcomed with them.

The brunet man snorted, while typing his phone.

“Something wrong, mate?” asked Brian.

John looked up, seeing the other three men staring at him. It’d be very tiring to explain himself. “Nothing.” He just said.

They restarted the rehearsal, and John tried to experiment not looking at Roger during it. Just to feel confident enough to feel the flow and not needing the reassurement of the drummer. He could feel the blue eyes watching over him, but he didn’t reply.

Brian called the day and assured the others that they’d have a new gig until next week. Roger liked that; he was dying for going on stage. It’d been a while.

“Plans for today, darlings?” asked Freddie, while he was organizing his own stuff.

“Sleep.” That was John’s answer.

“I haven’t seen Anita in days, so I’ll show up and maybe go see a movie.” Brian was already looking the movies that were on theaters.

“Ah...I actually have a date.” Roger smiled.

This got John attention. He looked to the drummer’s direction, to see if he was just messing with him. But he looked serious.

But why was John worried? Of course Roger could have a date, he was single and pretty, he had the right to go on a date. Besides they did _that_ last month, the blond man couldn’t even remember how it was like either way.

“Uh, a date, how fun!” claimed Freddie, with a shameless smile. “She must be beautiful.”

Roger tilted his head, a strange smile on his lips. “Yes, _he_ is beautiful. We’re going to George’s tonight.”

John could feel his ears getting red. It seemed that, unlike him, Roger really didn’t care about people knowing what he liked.

“Well...I didn’t want to pry, since we didn’t know each other that well, but I felt some vibes.” Freddie smirked, and Roger giggled.

“That’s fine. I’m bi, I don’t mind talking about it.” Roger shrugged.

He could have misunderstand but it sounded some shade over John. And the bass player couldn’t let it slide.

“And where did you find him? Some creep from Craiglist?” John’s voice was amused.

When he turned around he saw Freddie and Brian looking at him with shook. John was always sarcastic and sassy, but he never was rude with someone that didn’t deserve it. And Roger didn’t deserve at all.

At least not on their vision.

Even John after saying that, noticed he was too forward.

Roger just looked at him, his blue eyes glitching, and he said “My private life and where I found my dates is none of your business as far as I know, John.” Roger bragged his stuff and added “Brian, hope you find a place for us, mate. See you all soon.” And he started to walk to the front door.

“Have fun with your date, Roger.” Wished Brian, with a weak smile.

John locked down. He wasn’t like that. Why was he so shallow?

Freddie waited for Roger to really leave before turning to John and ask “What was that, Deaky? It was a very insensitive comment over Roger. Is it because he’s having a date with a man?” Freddie crossed his arms, defensive.

“No, of course not, Freddie!” exclaimed John, getting nervous. “I just...It was stupid.”

“Big time.” Agreed Brian.

“I know it was, okay?” John was feeling bad with himself, but that burning was still inside of him. “Maybe I just don’t know him well and I need to get used to him being around.” 

Freddie looked at him, still pissed with the whole situation, but he probably saw that John was being sincere with him and sighed, bitten.

“That’s okay, dear. But, please, next time apologize to him.” Freddie asked. “He’s a very good drummer, and he got along with us.”

“I imagine that for you it’s harder than to us to readapt, John.” Commented Brian, with his emphatic tone. John nodded. “He’s a new bandmate and you need to figure out how to work with him, besides he seems a bit different than you.”

“In a way.” John let out, guilty.

“But I know that when you both find your own pace you’ll get along just fine.” Brian assured, confident.

John tried to not remember their pace. Roger’s arms holding his legs while he deeply pounded into him.

\---

John knew when he was wrong, and this time he was. It didn’t matter where Roger got his dates, and specially he couldn’t slutshame him.

So, before he went to home, he drove to George’s, and in the crowd of heads he identified the blond he’s looking for.

Roger looked curiously to him when John walked to him, drinking peacefully his beer.

“Hi, John. It’s been a while.” Roger sounded cheerful, but John knew it was just him being sarcastic.

Right now he was allowed to be.

“Hi, Roger. I hope I’m not interrupting your date right now.” John looked around.

“He’s not here yet. But what is it? Interested in a new type of threesome?”

John took a deep breath. He needed to remember he was there to apologize.

“Okay, let me do this so we can ignore each other for some days again.” John said, and he saw Roger widing his smile. “I want to apologize for what I said earlier. You’re right, your life is not of my concern. You’re free to do whatever you want, and I can’t cross this line with you.”

Roger took a moment to absorb John’s words, and drank a large sip of his drink. John waited patiently; the blond was on his right to be a prick with him. After that Roger showed a more genuine smile.

“That’s fine. I mean, I don’t know why you’re so defensive with me since I told you I’m not saying anything to anyone.” Roger seemed curious, and stared at the brunet, signing he wanted an answer.

Yeah, maybe he deserved an answer.

“So, Roger, I linger a bit to be comfortable with new people. And you’re new people.” John saw the looked at Roger’s eyes and rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean.”

“Yes.” The drummer giggled.

“Also...It’s very stupid, but...I got a bit jealous that you bonded with Brian and Freddie so quickly.” John blushed, feeling childish. The sentiment on his chest was childish either way. “I’m a shy person, it takes me some time to like people and to be friends with them. I have always wanted to be more like Freddie or you.”

Roger sensed it wasn’t just about being shy, but he couldn’t push the brunet so much today.

“But they’re your friends anyway.” Roger shrugged. “Just be yourself and everything will be fine, John.”

John wanted to laugh. He thought of how he never was himself.

A buzzing on Roger’s phone made the blond smile. “My date is coming.”

“Oh, so that’s my moment to leave.” John nodded. “Just to be clear...”

“Apologies accepted.” Roger smiled. “Oh, and one more thing. I don’t do Craiglist.”

“You don’t need to –”

“But I want to. My friend and I were drinking and started to mess on each other’s phone, and she said ‘Let’s see what’s on Craiglist today!’ and we did.”

“So...” John seemed odd.

“It was a kind of a coincidence that I found you two.” Roger wigged slowly his eyebrows, and smiled brightly.

John didn’t know what to think and what to say. But soon he got back to the reality when he saw Roger waving to someone, and he looked around. A tall brunet was walking to find him.

“Well, see you soon. Bye.” Said John, nodding one more time.

Roger watched him walking away, and something on that made him laugh. “Bye.”


	5. Say what you want

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: homophobia, f slur

Just as Brian promised, he got a gig for Queen in the next week. Roger was very excited for the gig and it gave him time to learn all their songs.

Freddie basically dragged the blond to his stall, a small clothing shop that he had. It was very nice, and as the drummer suspected Freddie had a very good sense of fashion. He constantly took some clothes for his own to use at the gigs.

“A nice way for them to know my shop too.” Freddie winked.

“This’s a very nice place.” Commented Roger, looking at some jeans.

“It helps to pay the bills. How do you with yours? I mean, I hope Queen will make us money, but until then, we need other ways.”

Roger got flushed. It was not a nice topic. “Well, I write some papers for friends. I know it’s not the best, but I can’t let my mom help me with everything. And there is the flat, that I still haven’t found roommate for, and it’s at a very salty price.”

“Don’t let Brian know this or he’ll cut out your skin, dear.” Freddie shook his head. And then he looked at Roger again, with some hope on his eyes. “You could help me in the shop.”

“What?” Roger was surprised.

“Of course, you can help me with the shop! I called Brian once and he was horrible with it, his girlfriend is not good with fashion either.”

“So I’m like your last choice.” Roger crossed his arms, amused.

“Of course not. John is my last choice.”

Roger laughed, and actually considered the offer. It was a nice place, he could gain some money – that would be an extra help for the flat – and it’d help him know Freddie better. Which was nice, since he was his bandmate.

But then the drummer remembered. “Freddie, my flat is on the other side of town. It’d cost me money and time.”

“So come move to my flat.” Freddie said, simply. 

Roger blinked, astonished at how the events got turned so fast. He looked to the other man, who was with a coy smile, and didn’t know what to say for some seconds.

“Don’t need to say anything today.” Freddie added, waving to him. “After our gig tomorrow we will celebrate at my house and you’ll see what you think.”

Freddie barely knew him and he was offering so much. Roger was truly moved with it.

“Freddie, you’re the best. But you’re not really my type.” Roger jocked, and Freddie rolled his eyes, amused.

“What a shame. We’d make a incredible couple.”

“Agreed.”

\---

Only feeling the pre-gig energy was awesome for Roger. Knowing that in some minutes he’d perform in front of people could make his blood run fast. He had already organized the drums and his chair, now it was just waiting for the show.

Roger walked to bar and asked for a beer. He needed some steam before the show. Of course he wouldn’t get drunk, but a dizzy feeling would be enough.

“Excited for tonight?” Roger turned around to the voice’s direction and saw John with a bland face.

“I am. You? Nervous?” the drummer asked, seeing John holding too tightly his own bottle of beer.

John stayed silent for some seconds, then he took a large sip of his beer and said “It’s part of the deal.”

Roger didn’t need to stroke the brunet’s ego, but he should at least reassure him a bit. “John, you’re a good bassist, and we’re blessed to have you.”

The bass player looked at him, his eyebrows raised as he snorted. “‘We’. Oh, for God’s sake!”

“Don’t be so mean. I’m part of the band too!” Roger theatrically whined, but he giggled after seeing the boredness in John’s face.

Brian walked to them with a very worried expression. “Where the hell is Freddie?”

“Late, as always.” John said, not sounding surprised.

“The owner said that if we’re good today we can play here next month again.” Brian spoke to the other two.

“So now we’re gonna be a barbecue band?!”

“I’m here, darlings!” Freddie shouted when he arrived next to them, with a bright smile. “How much time do we have?” 

“Fifteen minutes, Freddie!” exclaimed Brian, a bit pissed with his friend.

Freddie felt the vibe. “But I’m here already. Geez, Brimi, I just need to do a quick makeup and we’re done.”

After Freddie left, the pub owner approached, thanking them for playing today. He seemed very nice and said that they could ask for some beers after the show on his name. He said that his brother (he pointed the man in the bar with a couple of friends) heard about them and he was excited to see them playing.

John and Brian looked to the young man and then shared a look. They knew him somewhere.

Freddie came back, now with a strong make-up, looking fabulous as always.

“Oh, hello. You’re the pub owner, right?” I –” Freddie extended his hand, but his eyes got wider when he saw someone in the crowd, losing his words.

Roger followed his eyes and saw him looking to the pub owner’s brother, like he knew the man. And the drummer saw a light brush on the man’s eyes.

“Are you ready, Freddie?” asked Roger, a bit more louder than necessary.

Freddie blinked twice and smiled at him. “I am, dear.”

“Brother, this is the band?” the man and his two friends approached the group. “Are you going to let this fag play in our family pub?”

The environment changed. Brian and John got shocked with the man’s words, and Freddie’s shoulders, always rising and impotent, now were down, lowing his height. And he seemed a bit sad.

Roger, in other hand, took a step forward.

“What did you just say, mate?” Roger asked, his voice more serious than his bandmates had ever heard until now.

“I said I don’t want a homo playing with his fairy friends on the pub my grandpa built.” The man spoke, taking a step forward too. His two friends did the same.

The three men were in front of Roger, and this didn’t seem to scare the blond. He looked at them with fierce eyes. “Well, so now you have to apologize to Freddie, for your very rude words.”

“And what if I don’t?” the man laughed as his friends did too.

Roger looked to his friends for a moment, and saw fear and confusion on John’s face, and he just shrugged before he kicked the man’s balls with his leg.

He yelled with pain, and the man on his right ran to Roger; the blond moved aside, putting his body weight on his shoulders, hitting him on the chest, and the man fell on the floor.

The third guy, unfortunately, had time to process everything, and when Roger turned around to him, his hand was coming with full force, crashing on his face. The drummer got hit by the punch and could feel blood on his mouth.

John, who had been frozen until now, heard people around them shouting with violence, some scared, some cheering up. So he ran into the guy who punched Roger, throwing himself on the man, caught him in surprise, and made him collide with the bar balcony.

“Mates, stop!” yelled the pub owner.

Roger still kicked one of the men in the stomach, but the other broke a thick glass on the blond’s head. John got punched before he knock out the man with a flying knee on his face.

“What is happening here?” a strong voice asked, and the band saw a policeman in front of them.

Apparently someone called the police in the middle of the fight.

“Fuck.” Breathed Brian.

\---

Roger and John gave their statements at the police station and waited for Freddie in the waiting room. Brian was there, and seemed as worried as them.

“I hope they believe in Freddie.” Commented Brian. “Everyone there saw what happened. You were just protecting him.”

Roger and John shared a look. In a week ago they had barely talked properly with each other, and now they were fighting together.

The three stood up when they saw Freddie walking out of the room. He gave them a small smile and said “I didn’t press charges on them.”

“What?!?” John, Roger and Brian yelled, in shock.

“His brother begged for me not to do it, and he said we could play there anytime we wanted for the rest of our lives.” Freddie crossed his arms, even though in the moment it seemed like he was just holding himself.

“Freddie.” Called John. “It’s not because of that.” Freddie looked at his friend, a sad expression on his face. “I remembered him now. Last year you used to go out with him.”

Roger felt he got it now. Freddie was not sad because of the insult itself, but who had said it, and it seemed that he knew the man all along.

“It seems he’s still in the closet.” Freddie breathed heavily, not allowing himself to cry. “What a shame he’s not ready yet.”

John swallowed hard.

“How about we take care of these injuries and drink a bit in my flat?” Freddie gave a smile, trying to change the mood.

“Freddie, nobody here’s in the mood for –” Brian started, but got cut by Roger.

“Yes, let’s get pissed.”


	6. A piece of lime

Freddie’s flat was nice and comfortable, and Roger looked around a bit before he walked to the spared room. It was large, and the drummer could already see his things there.

“So, Roger.” Freddie stood next to him. “What do you think?”

“It’s a good one. Do you give me a day to think?” Roger asked, politely.

“Of course.”

“Think of what?” Brian asked, opening his bottle of beer, and handing another to John.

“Roger moving in here. Helps both ways, with the rent and to have company.” Freddie smiled, and saw John passing the cold bottle on his injury. “Ew, Deaky! Go clean your face, please!”

“Come, John. I’ll clean this dry blood too.” Roger invited, and he saw John waiting some seconds without moving. Probably thinking if that was a good idea, being in a tight closed room together with Roger. But in the end he got up and walked to the hall and to the bathroom.

Roger took some water and wet a small tissue to clean the blood in the corner of John’s mouth. It wasn’t too much, but John hissed with the water when it found the fresh cut. 

“Sorry.” Apologized Roger, but touching the tissue to his mouth again.

John stayed still, trying to breath normally. Roger was touching him again, and that was not a good sign. He wanted so badly to understand him, to know what was inside his mind, but at the same time, he was scared to find out.

The blond seemed focused on his job, and with the other side of the tissue he was now drying the mix of water and blood.

“It was a stupid idea.” John spoke out of nowhere, and Roger glanced at him, confused. “The whole fight. One against three. That’s dumb.”

“They insulted Freddie.” Pointed Roger, in an accusatory tone.

“It was for a good cause, indeed, but it was still a dumb decision.” 

Roger laughed, bitten. “I got injured, but I punched too. Done.”

The drummer threw the dirty tissue in the bin, and John looked in the mirror. The place next to his chin was changing the colour, so he still needed to talk with Veronica.

“Now let me help you with this.” John said, in a low tone.

Roger smiled, sitting in a small wood chair that was in the corner of the bathroom.

“Let me see where the cuts are.” John asaid, standing in front of the drummer. Roger showed the small cuts on his forehead, a bigger one next next to the ear, and one in the corner of his nose. “Luckely you only will need a band-aid.”

The bass player turned around to wet the tissue and came back, crouching down to be at the same level as Roger.

“I must say you know how to attack someone, even though I assume you’re a pacifist.” Commented Roger, in a light tone.

John started to pass the tissue in Roger's forehead, calmly. “I know what to do when I need to fight.”

“You said it was a stupid fight.”

“When it was one against three.”

Roger smiled, and then he hissed with the injury. “Fuck.”

“Oh, sorry. Maybe this helps.” John gently put his hands on Roger’s cheeks and blowed on the blond’s forehead, slowly. 

The fresh air helped a bit with the ache, and then Roger registered that John was with his hands on him. That was the first time John had touched him since _that_ night. It was strange. Pleasantly strange, but still strange.

“Thanks.” The blond managed to say.

John wet the tissue again and now started to clear the blood next to Roger’s ears. “So...You’re moving into Freddie’s.” stated the brunet.

“I’ll think about it.” 

“I can already tell you’ll move. Freddie wouldn’t invite you if he was not sure you’d take it.”

Roger hissed again, and then raised an eyebrow. “I’m that readable, hun?”

“For some people, maybe.”

The blond didn’t know what to take from that comment. He saw John opening a band-aid, and put it next to his ear. His pinky finger caressed accidently Roger’s ear, and the man suddenly shivered.

John looked at him, silently questioning it, and Roger said “Maybe it’s the alcohol.”

The bass player moved his lips, unsure, and then said “Okay.” He wet the tissue for the last time and brushed it carefully at the corner of Roger’s nose. “But...Would you need the spared bedroom?”

Roger was puzzled. “Of course I’d need the spared bedroom. Why you’d think I...” and then the man understood. When Roger looked at him, John got nervous and looked away, giving full attention to what he was doing. “You know, Freddie is not my type of man.”

That got John off guard, but he didn’t looked up again. He could feel what Roger was doing by his tone. He was trying to re-affirm something, to make John believe him.

“Oh, yeah? So you have a type then?” John tried to sound chill, but he was the opposite in that moment.

“I have. Do you wanna know what it is?”

John reached Roger’s eyes and saw the same flame he had seen at their first real encounter.

“You’re clean again. Ready for another fight.” John straighten up, throwing the tissue in the bin.

Roger smiled, looking satisfacted. “Thanks, Deaky. ‘Deaky’ is because of Deacon?”

“Yes, Sherlock.”

“I like it. It suits you.”

John gave him a fake smile and went out of the bathroom.

\---

The four men let a light talk settle them, talking about their colleges, each one sharing their own issues with teachers and papers to do. Brian, of course, didn’t have much to share, but liked to hear his friends. Roger looked at them and thought he was already liking to be with them a lot.

John looked at his watch and stood up suddenly. “Mates, the night was...something to remember, but if I stay for more than ten minutes, Ronnie will cut my balls off.”

“So I will be going too, since I’m his ride today.” Nodded Brian.

Roger gave a last bit on the pizza and asked “Can you drop me off at home too, Brian? I have school tomorrow morning and I can’t be late again.” 

“Of course.” Brian said, smiling.

“Wait!” exclaimed Freddie, standing up from the couch. The other three men looked at him, expectantly, but knowing what was coming next. At some point he’d say it.

“Roger, John, thank you for defending me.” The drummer and bass player started to mumble something, but Freddie shut them. “Only true friends would fight for someone, and even Roger being around for such a short time, he already proved he’s a good man.”

Roger was shy, his cheeks red. John smiled with it, and seconds after he looked again to Freddie.

“Anyways, what I’m trying to say is that...” Freddie’s eyes got watered. “I’m glad I’m surrounding with good company.”

Roger walked to Freddie and gave him a tight hug, the Queen main singer hugging him back. John and Brian were holding tears.

The drummer pulled away and said “I’m sorry you had to go through this today. But if you need someone to break some noses from now on, I’m here.”

“I really hope we do not need this.” Brian wished. “Now, let’s go?”

Freddie said goodbye to them and the other men left his flat. Their walk until Brian’s car was silent.

Roger sat in the back seat, John in the passenger seat, and Brian on the car wheels.

The ride talk was basically the same, now with Brian monopolizing the conversation about his last thesis and how hard it was to impress his supervisor. The blond gave his best to focus entirely on Brian’s talk, but sometimes, by the intern car rearview, he could see John with observant eyes on him.

John was reavaliating all his prejudices about Roger now. Maybe he could be around, but he still needed to be sure he was not too close.

Brian stopped the car in front of Roger’s building and asked “You make sure to take Freddie’s offer. His place is better than this, and cheaper.”

“And closer to the place we do rehearsal, right?” Roger risked, knowing the guitar player’s mind.

Brian let out a laugh and added “That’s a bonus.” And with a warmer smile he said “Hey, thanks for today. That was a very brave gesture.”

Roger just shrugged. “That’s what mates do.” Brian nodded firmly to him, and after the drummer looked to John “Thanks for backing me up.”

“That’s what mates do.” John shrugged too.

Roger gave him a smile, feeling he was starting something good with the brunet.

Brian turned on the car again and he and John said goodbye to Roger, restarting their ride.

John felt odd seeing Brian so quiet now. They had a nice friendship, and usually used the time when it was just the two of them to drown with everything that had happened between Anita and him. But five minutes passed and Brian was silent.

When a red light showed up and Brian stopped the car, he turned around to the bass player and asked “So, what are your thoughts about Roger now?”

John felt something hot getting down on his throat.

“I know I’ve been difficult with him, Brian. Maybe because we had had three drummers in the last year alone.” John spoke.

“And gladly we don’t have to worry about Roger bashing Freddie out.” Brian raised his eyebrows.

“Yeah. I just can’t trust him yet, at least not as you and Freddie already do.”

The car was running again, and Brian was looking to the street. “Look, I’m a reserved person just like you, and maybe the fact that I’ve known Roger since I was thirteen helps.”

“But you haven’t seen him since you were seventeen.”

“Yes, he could have changed, he probably changed in some ways. But let me tell you one thing: Roger is a good person. He jokes a lot and is very carefree about some things, but he would never betray you.” They arrived at John’s house and for one more time Brian looked at John. “That’s why I invited him. Because after all these drummers we had, he could be one that would stay.

John tried to believe in that.

“How do I look?” John changed the subject, showing the injury on his face.

“Like you were in a fight.” Brian smiled.

“Hope this turn Veronica on.”

Brian made a weird face. “Hm, probably not.”

“I thought so.”


	7. Just what she likes

Veronica was arranging the plates on the table, then the silverware and the final touch the glasses. Five chairs were aligned for her, John and the guests.

“You can deny it as much as you want” John showed up in the kitchen, when his wife was looking for the steak in the oven. “but I know all of this is for you to see Roger again.”

“How dare you, John?” Veronica looked at him, mockingly shocked. “I invited your bandmates to have a Sunday lunch with us.”

“And it happens that one of them was the man we had sex with.” Whispered John, making the woman laugh.

She turned around and got closer to him. “It seems he’s staying for good, so at some point I’d meet him.” And she gave him a peck, getting back to her cooking.

“Should I get jealous?” teased John, rising an eyebrow.

“Shut up.”

John observed his wife, so peaceful. They made a promise that Roger would never find their house, and here they were, preparing a meal for him.

“Why are you so calm?” John couldn’t understand.

“Because I’m not the one who’s holding a secret.”

_Touché_. John tried so many times to talk with Freddie and Brian about it, but in the last seconds, when their eyes glanced at his, the courage went away and he couldn’t find the words. It was terrible.

The doorbell rang and Veronica walked fast to answer it, making John laugh with her excitement. When she opened the door she was wearing a warm smile.

“Hello, boys.” Veronica gave them space Brian, Anita, Freddie and Roger to get in. She looked Roger up and down and showed a restrained smile. “So you must be Roger, the new drummer. Nice to meet you.”

Roger nodded quickly, finding very amusing to see Veronica so contained, with a pink dress and the long hair in a bun. She didn’t look like the person he had met weeks ago.

“Nice to finally meet you, Veronica.” Roger said. He looked around; it was a small but cozy house. “What a beautiful house. That’s why Deaky hides himself.”

“Way less, Roger.” Advised John.

“Ronnie, I’m so sorry for inviting Anita in the last hour.” Brian was blushing, very ashamed, holding his girlfriend’s hand.

“That’s alright. We needed to catch up, actually.” Ronnie waved, uncaring.

Veronica went to the kitchen again, Anita starting to gossip about with her, and Freddie turned to John.

“Where’s Robert? I miss him.” The man said, with dreamy eyes.

“On his bedroom, sleeping.” John answered.

“Rog, you need to see John’s son, he’s the cutest baby ever!” chanted the main singer, with a big smile.

The blond looked at John, to see if he approved. The brunet was warming up to him, but still in small doses.

John didn’t know how to say no. How could that blond man be so close at his private life in less than three months? No one was ever _this_ close so quickly.

“Let me show you the way.” John said, in a tired tone.

The bass player could see, during their walk upstairs, Roger looking around everything, trying to see every book in the living room shelf, every photograph in the walls, anything he could retain in that small tour of the house. Or that was John’s messed up mind wanted to believe.

Roger just found it very funny to see both sides of the couple. The one they showed to the world, a very young and bonded couple, stable and ordinary, and the one he met in a hotel room, a woman who liked to be a voyeur and a man who liked to share his wife with someone else. The drummer giggled in silence.

The four men stopped in front of a room, full of baby toys and pictures of clowns and clouds, Roger found it a very odd combo.

“Clowns, Deaky?” Roger sounded outrageous. “How can you put a baby to suffer like that? _Your own baby!_ ”

“That’s why I put it. So he won’t be afraid.” John got closer to the crib and showed a smile.

Freddie, Brian and Roger walked too and saw a baby boy napping, his tiny hands closed in fists very closely to his head, seeming relaxed. The blond smile with the vision.

“He looks like you.” Said Roger, in a low tone.

John gave him an unbelieving look. “He’s a four months baby. He can’t look like me.”

“Mate, he’s right.” Brian gave Robert a better look. “He has your eyebrows.”

“And your forehead.” Added Freddie.

“It’s a forehead, for God’s sake!” John sighed.

His tone was a bit loud, and they four attentively looked to the baby, who just gave a big yawn, but stayed sleeping.

“But he looks like you.” Repeated Roger, with a smile.

\---

The group was eating and talking. Mostly Freddie and Anita, because the woman said she had the perfect friend to introduce to the man, and she was enumerating his qualities and how he would match perfectly with Freddie, the main singer looking enthusiastic with it.

John was eating in silence, trying to get his full attention on his meal. Roger was in the chair next to him and somehow that was making him nervous.

“So how did you two met?” asked Roger, looking to Veronica.

Veronica took five seconds to process his question, giving John time to speak.

“Same ol’ story. Boy meets girl, go on a date, kiss, fell in love, get married.” Recited John, without losing a breath.

“I was asking Veronica, Deaky, thank you very much.” John looked at him, receiving a sharp smile from the drummer.

Veronica looked at them embarrassed. “Uh, well...We were at a disco, and I saw him, with his nice dancing moves, and I decided to talk to him. The rest is history.”

“Wow, a bold girl. Nice.” Roger winked to her, making her giggle.

“Yeah, and in four years we got married. Robert came a year after.”

Roger was with a joke on his tongue, but maybe John wasn’t prepared for it, so he saved it. “By the way he’s beautiful, Veronica.”

“Call me Ronnie. That’s how everyone calls me.”

John looked at his wife, who didn’t pay him attention, and the drummer gave a confident smile to the woman.

“Okay, Ronnie. I have to say, you’re more chill than your husband.” Commented Roger. “It took me two months and a fight for him to start putting up with me.”

John laughed, and then drank his glass of water. “Because you’re a pain in the arse.”

“Mates, John just smiled _with_ me, and not _at_ me. That’s the first time ever! This deserves a celebration!” claimed the drummer, making John roll his eyes, amused, and the other to laugh.

John gave it a moment to think if he could enjoy Roger’s presence. He was still undecided.

It was useless to punch him away, because every time he did it, the blond came back to him, stronger.

The rest of the afternoon went by with them drinking tea with cake and talking about the band and their next gig. Brian assured the rhythm sections that the gig would happen only after their faces get better.

Brian and Anita were the firsts to go, and from their faces they would definitely have sex, Freddie saying this out loud. Freddie called an Uber a hour later.

Roger felt it was his time too and said “Let me call one for me too.” 

“Tomorrow morning you’ll move and everything will be better, Rog, I assure you.” Spoke Freddie. “Uh, my Uber is here. Bye, darlings!”

Freddie closed the front door and Roger was already unlocking his phone to call an Uber when Veronica said “Wait.”

Roger and John looked at her, both confused, and she gave a shy smile, biting her own lip.

“We have ice cream. Do you want some before you go?” The woman asked, unsure.

The blond looked at her and then to John. His bandmate seemed clearly puzzled with his wife’s words, and couldn’t know how to speak up.

Roger was highly curious with this scheme, so he replied “Yes, I’d love some.”

Veronica nodded and walked to the kitchen, John following her, letting Roger sit again in the couch.

“What the hell was that?” whispered John, trembling.

“I don’t know.” She was telling the truth. “Maybe I just want to feel if it’s okay to be around him. You see him everyday, but I don’t, and I’m a part of this equation, you know?”

John breathed deeply, trying to calm himself down. Yeah, Veronica had a point, but it didn’t mean he was less upset with it. Roger was already at his band, being friends of his bandmates, now he needed to be around his family too?!? No, this could be normal for other people, but not for him.

Veronica put some toffee ice cream in a glass, took a small spoon and walked back to the living room, John getting back with her. Roger was typing on his phone when they saw the couple.

Roger smiled when he handed him the ice cream. “Thank you.” Said the blond, already taking a piece of it.

The three adults stayed in silence for some moments, Roger savoring the ice cream while Veronica and John were in front of him, out of words. The drummer could see the shyness over the blush of the woman’s cheeks and the discomfort on his bandmate’s shaking legs and pressed lips. It was a odd situation for him too, maybe a new walk of shame.

He felt he should say something.

“So how is –”

“Is your ice cream –”

“Are you liking –”

The three spoke at the same time, making Roger laugh, and the blond pointed to Veronica to speak.

“Is your ice cream good?” her voice was low.

“Very good, thanks. I’m more a strawberry kind of guy tho.” Roger smirked, taking another spoon of ice cream. “John?”

John cleared his throat first. “Are you liking playing with us?” 

Roger got a bit surprised with the question. Neither Brian or Freddie had asked that until now. “Well, it’s nice. Brian’s lectures could be shorter, but I’m okay so far.”

They two shared a laugh. John looked at the man with a new expression, something that Roger hadn’t seen before, very enigmatic. He had always liked to solve enigmas, and John looked like a very good one.

“And you?” Veronica’s question made them break the glance. “What were you about to ask?”

“Oh. I was about to ask how is being married so young. It seems a very strong decision.”

After Roger knowing they were together way before their son got born he didn’t see a reason for such a hurry act. The blond had blond fallen in love a couple of times, but not enough for the thought of spending the rest of his life with the person to cross his mind.

Maybe he hadn’t found the person yet.

“Well, we were together for a good time, we didn’t see why not.” John’s tone was neutral.

“And we knew we’re forever, right?” Veronica showed a warm smile, and tilt her head on her husband’s shoulder.

Roger blinked, feeling an outsider. He shouldn’t step in.

It was just a fantasy, nothing else.

“I think I need to call my Uber now.” Roger typed his phone, calling the ride immediately.

“Roger.” Veronica put her hand on the blond’s wrist. “I just don’t want you to be a strange around us. I mean, we wanted at first, but now you’re John’s bandmate, so you’ll be around. We need to pass through this.”

“Fine by me.” Roger nodded.

John stayed silent.


	8. Her

Freddie received a new amount of clothes for his shop, and only with Roger he couldn’t finish to register them and put the price, so he asked for Brian and John to help them. The bass player said he’d have to bring Robert with him, since Veronica was visiting her parents.   


“And what are we going to get for this help, Freddie?” asked Brian, teasing him.   


“My gratitude.” Freddie smiled, touching his friend’s arm.

“I can’t buy my favorite vegan cappuccino with your gratitude, mate.”   


“Depends. I can flirt with the barista and it will be for free.”   


They were still laughing when the shop door opened, showing John with a baby on one arm, and a baby car seat on the other. Freddie mewed at the sight and walked fast to greet them, taking Robert out of his arms. The baby immediately yelled when he saw the man. Robert clearly liked him, and giggled hard when Freddie was lifting him.   


“Who’s the cutest baby on Earth? Who is?” sang Freddie, smiling to Robert.   


“I thought Freddie only liked baby cats, not humans.” Commented Roger, making Brian laugh.   


“Normally I don’t, but Rob is an angel.” Freddie gave many kisses at the baby’s cheek, enjoying Robert babbling. “Thanks for coming, Deaky.”   


“It’s okay.” John waved. “It’s good to see a grown up man for a change.”   


Robert was staring at Roger, they only noticed after everyone else stopped talking. The little boy almost didn’t blink, looking to the drummer’s face. He frowned slightly, his forehead creased, like he’s trying to remember that person in front of him – but of course he didn’t.    


The blond smiled, carefully, and said “Hi, Robert”, finding himself feeling weird. The boy remained silent, without another expression. He, like his father, was contained. Roger almost laughed with the thought, but he didn’t. That’s fine, either way; he didn’t need a baby’s approval (as he thought).   


Just like his father, Roger needed more time to win Robert over.   


“You can put Robert over there, so we can watch him from here.” Freddie pointed to a clean spot, John doing what he said. The baby whined a bit when he was put on the chair, but quietened when his father put a pacifier on his mouth.   


The four men started to work, Freddie telling them what to do. The other three knew that the main singer had a special care with the shop, even though he didn’t want to have it for the rest of his life; a career in music was his dream.    


Also Roger and Freddie’s friendship got stronger since the blond started to work there. It was insane how alike they were, even though sometimes they argue; it was inevitable when two persons with similar minds find each other. But most of the time they were laughing and planning their future with Queen.   


“So...When does Veronica get back?” asked Roger, conversationally.   


“In two days. Why?” John was intrigued with his interest.   


“Nothing. Just asking, mate. Chill.” Roger giggled.   


It’s true that John was more relaxed around him, talking more during the rehearsals and even texting the drummer some things about cars (they discovered that they are both afficionated by them). But when Roger talked about Veronica or anything that could remind the bass player about what they did, the brunet went back to his protective self.   


Maybe because John was feeling odd talking about Roger with his wife. Having a bi husband, Veronica felt confident enough to chat about men she thought were hot, and even checking out some when they were in the market buying groceries. But she never fixated on one man, and now the woman from times to times mentioned the drummer to John at home. Nothing specific, sometimes she just asked how he was and what he’s wearing that day. Stupid things, but that John knew it’s her way to show she’s still interested.   


John wasn’t jealous, but Veronica should tone her crush down, since the man in question was now his bandmate.   


“Sorry.” John blushed, feeling stupid for being aggressive with the blond.   


“No worries.” Roger smiled at the man’s blush. “I imagine the last few days, you were only watching kid shows.”   


“I know all the songs already.” Giggled John. “People are right: when you have a kid your phone isn’t yours anymore.”   


“You should know all along, Deaky.”   


The door opened again and the four men looked as a brunet woman entered the shop. She was distracted looking at a red dress, talking in fast french with someone on the phone.   


The bass player saw a big smile appearing at Roger’s face.   


“Dom?” spoke the blond.

The woman looked at him, her confused expression changing to a happy one, and she said “Je t’appellerai plus tard.” And she hung up the phone. “Rog, oh my God!”   


She walked over to him and hugged him tight. John looked at them quietly, not knowing if he should move away and give him privacy – it looked a very warm and intimate embrace.   


“What are you doing here?” asked Roger, after the hug. The brunet man noticed his hands didn’t leave her body.   


“Well, I was going to a friend’s house nearby and I saw that amazing dress.” The woman said, her accent giving her more charm. “And you know how amazing I am in red.”   


“Someone is cheeky.”   


“Usually it’s you.” And they giggled together.   


John was feeling weird, maybe because he never saw Roger in action. Well, he saw once, but he was flirting with him.   


He shouldn’t feel that way. Roger was a handsome man, anyone could see that, so of course someone would make a move on him, and the drummer would take advance of it and flirt with the person. John knew he would see that one day – to be honest he thought it would have taken a bit longer than expected – but he wasn’t prepared to see it.   


But what could this possibly have to do with John? Nothing. He’s just Roger’s bandmate now.   


So why was his stomach boiling with the way Roger was with that woman?   


Roger and the brunet were annoyingly pretty, they could make annoyingly pretty babies together.   


“Oh, welcome to my shop, dear.” Freddie approached. “It seems you know Roger.”   


“Damn well, to be honest.” The woman winked at Roger.   


The drummer giggled. “Stop it. Mates, this is Dominique, my best friend. Dom, those are my mates Freddie, Brian and John.” Roger pointed to them as he spoke.   


Dominique gave them a warm smile. “Freddie as in your flatmate? A flat that, I must say, I didn’t know yet.”   


“Please, don’t make me argue with you right now, you rascal.” They two laughed. “And yes, that’s Freddie.”   


“Okay. Nice to meet you, Freddie. You’re brave for sharing a flat with this man. I would offer him to move in with me if I wasn’t afraid of Roger exploding my oven while boiling an egg.”   


Freddie, Brian and Dominique laughed while Roger rolled his eyes. “Nice to meet you too, Dominique. Yes, I don’t allow him to get near the kitchen. He tried to make me a cake once and I puked my heart out after.”   


“You’re the worst!” Roger pretended he was mad, but Dominique leaned on him and rested her head on his arm.

“Well, this one I know. Hi, Brian, we haven't seen each other since high school, right?” Dominique gave a light smile to the curly-haired man.   


“Yeah. You look amazing, as always.” Brian said.   


“And you’re still a gentleman. Still fascinated by the stars?”   


“Yeah, I’m studying Astrophysics at university.”   


“I’m glad.”    


Dominique turned to John. The man remained silent, and he gave a shy smile to her. She, as Roger, was easy-going and charming, so John felt it’s natural for them to be friends. But something in his guts told him they’re more than just friends.   


The woman’s eyes shined for a few seconds. “Roger, this is the John –”   


“Yes, the John who’s the bassist of the band.” The blond rushed to speak, cutting her off.   


John could sense what Dominique almost spoke, and his heart did a flip.   


Maybe she was the friend that put him on Craigslist.   


The brunet woman blinked, confused, but with a glance from Roger she said, more chill “Yes, this John. Nice to meet you, cherrie.”   


“Nice to meet you.” John just nodded.   


Robert decided to cry in that moment, and John ran to comfort his son. Turned out he’s hungry, and the brunet man held him and gave him a bottle of milk. Freddie and Brian got closer to them, making funny faces to the baby to cheer him up.   


Dominique opened her mouth, surprised, and looked to Roger. “Oh my, he has a son!”   


“I know, Dom.” shrugged the blond.   


She looked to her friend and then to the others. John looked to Roger with a concerned look, which didn’t pass unnoticed to the woman, and she looked back to the drummer. “They don’t know about...?”   


“Of course not! Imagine the drama if they knew.”   


“And since when do you avoid drama, Roger Taylor?”   
Roger laughed. In that situation he wanted to.   


\---   


Dominique complimented Freddie on how he had so many good clothes at his shop, making the man so proud. She was trying on some dresses, Freddie making comments on each one she wore. Brian was letting Robert play with his hair, the baby gripping his hands on the soft hair.   


Roger and John stayed folding some shirts, John often looking to his son.   


“Stop worrying with him.” Spoke Roger, gaining John’s attention. “He’s fine. By the way Robert is the easiest kid I ever saw.”   


“He is.” Smiled John. “My mom said I was like him when I was a baby.”   


“I’m not surprised.” The blond smiled.   


Freddie let out a gasp when Dominique showed up with a tight dark blue dress, and he took her hand and made her twirl. Roger looked at them, giggling with the woman posing to him. John watched their interaction.   


“So, Dominique.” John restarted, and Roger turned around to him. “She seems nice.”   


“She is.” Roger saw something in John’s expression that made him ask “What?”   


“Well...She’s pretty. Don’t tell me you two never slept together.”   


Roger laughed just with the thought, but looking back to John he saw the man didn’t flinch. “Oh God, you’re serious.”   


Something in John’s eyes made Roger not want to tell him the truth.   


“Less chit chat and more folding, darlings!” exclaimed Freddie, clapping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome, Dominique :)  
> She's very important here


	9. Oh baby

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to business

Dominique decided to make a birthday party and she said that Roger could invite his bandmates. Freddie and Brian enjoyed the ‘free alcohol’ just as the main singer said, and John asked if he could bring Veronica with him. Roger thought Dominique wouldn’t mind, so he said yes.   


It was just a small party, with some friends, but for someone like Dominique, ‘some friends’ was way more than fifty guests. The music was loud and the house was full of waiters handing out drinks to everyone.   


The drummer was already at the party when his bandmates came. Veronica was more than happy to see Roger. “Hi, Roger.” Said the woman, when the blond man walked over to them.   


“Hi, Ronnie. Do you want a drink? Dominique hired a bartender tonight.” Roger smiled and offered his arm.   
The woman just linked arms with Roger and they walked to the kitchen. John curiously watched the pair talking about something he couldn’t hear. His wife looked like a teenage girl around his bandmate and he didn’t know how he felt about it.   


Maybe he was showing too much, because Brian giggled and said; “He’s not gonna steal your wife, mate.”   


John blinked, understanding his words, and showed a fake smile. “He can try, but she’s very much taken.”   


“Urgh, alright straight people.” Freddie mocked.   


Dominique appeared, with the dress she bought at Freddie’s shop. As always, she looked beautiful and bright. She was laughing about something with a man and noticed the three men in the middle of the room, so she waved to them and walked their way, hugging Freddie first.   


“I’m glad you could make it.” Spoke the brunette woman. “Roger was starting to get cranky without you here.”   


“Roger is cranky either way.” John said, making the woman laugh.   


“Happy birthday, Dom. Nice place.” Commented Brian.   


“Modelling gives me a modest amount of money to get nice things.”    


“Of course you’re a model!” exclaimed Freddie, taking her hand and making her twirl. “It’d be a tragedy if you weren’t.”   


“Thank you, Freddie.” She looked around, and then turned to John. “Where’s your wife?”   


“With Roger, bringing some drinks over for us.” Replied the bass player.   


“Look out, or else Roger will get your wife drunk.”   


“You’re the worst.” Roger said, coming back with Veronica. He gave two beers to Freddie and Brian, and Veronica gave one beer to John.    


Dominique laughed and made a face at the blond. “I’m just worrying them.” She looked Veronica up and down and gave a big smile. “You must be Veronica. Roger told me about you.”   


John and Veronica shared a worried look and Roger forced a laugh. “She met Robert and I talked about you.” He said.   


“Yeah, yeah.” Dominique nodded, taking another sip of her drink. “By the way, what a beautiful kid. It doesn’t surprise me, since he has such beautiful parents, right, Rog?”   


Five pairs of eyes stayed staring at Roger, and he blushed. He took the last sip of his beer and said “Oops, need to get another one.” and he walked to the kitchen again.   


To be honest, John was relieved. He didn’t know if he wanted to know what Roger thought about him.   


\---   


An hour later and after a few drinks, even Brian was dancing in the living room, with very weird and uncoordinated movements. But he was too tipsy to care.   


“We need to get Brian drunk more. He’s funnier that way.” Joked Freddie.   


“Wait until tomorrow in rehearsals.” John said. Then he grabbed Veronica’s hand. “Wanna dance?”   


The woman gave a kind smile, but shook her head. “If I dance, next thing I’ll sleep.”   


Her intolerance of alcohol dropped a lot after she gave birth, and Veronica got more tired than usual. And since John talked with her about this party she was preparing herself; she didn’t want to go back home before midnight.   


John just shrugged and went over to the dance floor. Normally being around strange people made him shyer, but after his third glass of whiskey he didn’t mind if the Queen of England was at that party.    
He went next to Brian, who yelled with excitement, as 

John started to move his body according to the beat of the music. It was natural to him, feeling the rhythm and enjoying it, his body lighting up, his feet just instinctively swinging.   


“Your husband is quite the dancer.” Commented Roger, watching John dancing.   


Something heavy pressed on his chest, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away from his bandmate. He was liking what he saw.   


He never was a fan of dancing, but he wanted to dance with John.   


“But you already knew that.” Murmured Veronica, touching his arm and winking at him.   


Roger giggled at her. He could see that she liked the risk of someone knowing about their little secret. Maybe she wouldn’t mind if everyone knew about it. But John would.   


“He likes to dance during the rehearsals. He doesn’t even realize when he starts to move.” Said Roger, conversationally.   


“He dances all over the house. Sometimes with Rob.” She looked towards him, to see his arms up, moving from side to side.   


“It’s kinda cute.”    


“Do you think he’s cute?”   


Roger saw the way Veronica was looking at him, with curiosity. He didn’t know what answer she wanted from him: maybe a reassurance about their night together, or if it was a worry about them being bandmates now.   


“Blondie, come dance with me!” Freddie appeared out of nowhere and pulled him by the arm.    


When Roger realized he was with Freddie and Dominique, the brunette woman took the two men’s hands and made them twirl. He laughed with his friends and looked at Veronica. She was watching them and with a naughty smile, she raised her glass to him.   


\---    


Brian said they should be the last ones to leave the party, and they stood by that promise. The only people besides the Queen band members, Veronica and the birthday woman, were the bartenders. Dominique paid them and went back into the living room with a bottle of vodka and six glasses.   


“How about we keep this party going?” Dominique gave the five guests each a glass.   


“I think it’s late and we should go home.” Said Roger.   


“No, it’s too early actually.” Veronica shook her head.   


“That’s right, cherrie! How about we play ‘Never Have I Ever’, folks?” Dominique seemed excited.   


Roger laughed. “How old are you again?”   


Dominique slapped his arm, but stayed giggling. “Shut up, bastard. It’ll be fun. Sex questions only.”   


John didn’t like the game, and he whispered in his wife’s ear “We should go home.”   


But Veronica didn’t pay him attention, and said “I like the idea, Dominique.”   


“John and Veronica have been together since forever. They don’t have fun sex stories to tell.” Freddie said. “They were virgins when they found each other.”   


“You don’t know that, Freddie.” Teased Veronica, giggling.   


This made the Queen's frontman smile deviously. “Now I’m interested. Let’s go.”   


They sat on the couch and chairs in the living room and Dominique filled the glasses with vodka. Roger was a bit worried with this setting, and when he looked to John, he could see the same concern on his face.   


“We are grown ups, so we can drink every time you did whatever the person said. Five shots and the person have to do a dare.” Warned Dominique. “I’ll start.” And she raised her glass. “Never have I ever had sex in a public place.”   


The others looked to each other. Roger was the first to take a sip of his drink, and he made a face when the liquid passed his throat.    


“Fuck, that’s strong.” Cursed the drummer.   


“It’s russian.” Said the brunette woman.   


“A pub restroom counts as a public place?” asked Freddie.   


“Of course, mate.” Giggled Brian. “Drink up.”   


And Freddie drank.   


“My turn.” Claimed Brian. “Never have I ever hooked up with someone who I didn’t remember their name.”   


Dominique and Roger drank, and after looking at each other, laughed with it.   


“Who was it?” Roger asked.   


“Remember that time I said about that Spring Break I went to?” she saw Roger nodding. “I don’t remember any of them.”   


“You’re unbelievable!”   


They did a high-five and laughed more. John could only think about how they were so good together, and there was no way they never had sex together.   


Roger somehow escaped Freddie’s dare (doing a full strip tease), but the main singer said he would use it at some point.   


More turns were done, each question funnier than the last one. As Freddie presumed, John and Veronica didn’t do much, and they were the most sober ones at that moment. But, surprising everyone, Brian did more than they all would have thought.   


“Anita knows about that?” asked Roger, after Brian drink for a ‘never have I ever tried BDSM’.   


“Oh, she knows.” Brian’s cheeks were red, but that’s more because of the drinking than from shyness. “And she’s very into it.”   


“Oh, God. Please, don’t tell me who the dom is.” Freddie closed his eyes and shook his hands, a bit disturbed with the image on his head.   


“Shut up. My turn.” Brian smiled. “Never have I ever done anything sexual with a man.”   


In the next second Roger, Freddie, Veronica and Dominique drank. John wanted to drink so bad too; it would be a light and funny way to come out to his friends. He had so many moments to do that, but he never did. John never cared about how he came out, he just wanted to do it.   


He felt his hand shaking slightly, but he didn’t move it.   


He chickened out.   


“My turn.” John spoke a bit louder to get everyone’s attention. He cleared his throat and said “Never have I ever slept with my best friend.”   


He shouldn’t speak out loud. John shouldn’t care about this. But the laughs, the intimate shared looks, the inside jokes shared all night...were buzzing in John’s head. And he needed to get his mind straight again.   


Only Freddie drank, and he commented “Jim and I hooked up a couple of times last month. Nothing changed, and people say that friends can’t have sex.”   


John looked from Roger to Dominique, but they stayed still with their glasses.   


“Come on, you two.” John smiled, unconvinced. “Seriously?”   


Dominique laughed, resting her head at Roger’s shoulder. “It’d be funny.”   


“I mean, you’re both single and pretty.” John insisted. 

“Did you never have the curiosity to know how it is?”   
Roger didn’t know how to feel about John saying out loud that he’s pretty.   


“John, I know what Roger looks like, but he’s not a girl, so it’s off the table for me.” Dominique said.   


“I don’t look like a girl!” Roger exclaimed, pretending he’s outraged.   


“With some make-up and a dress you’d pass as a woman, Rog.” Laughed the brunette.   


“Wait.” John blinked, confused. “So you’re –”   


“A lesbian? Yes.”   


“Oh.” John said. And then the clarity dropped on him. He was so stupid. “ _ Oh _ .”   


Freddie took a sip of his drink and gulped. “Straight people don’t have a good gaydar.”   


John tried to not be bitter about it.   


He didn’t know why that was a big deal for him. Roger had a life, besides Queen and besides him. Of course, since he was nothing to the blond man, only his bandmate. He needed to remember that it was just a one-night stand…

_ Roger had his nose crooked in the curve of John’s neck, while Veronica kept giving kisses up the blond’s spine. His lips weren't even on his skin, but John was shivering with the tip of his nose brushing against him. _ _   
_ _ “You still smell good, John, did you know that?” whispered Roger. _ _   
_

_ The brunet man bited his own lip, the tone of the other man exciting him again.  _ _   
_

_ His eyes found Veronica’s. Her irises were so lively.  _

_ So wild. _ _   
_

_ Veronica’s hand traveled the blond’s body, until she grabbed something. Roger whimpered with her touch. _ _   
_

_ “Someone wants a round two.” Smirked Roger. “Double penetration, John?” _ _   
_

“My turn.” Dominique smiled, and Roger knew that smile. She was about to get him in trouble. “Never have I ever had a threesome.” And she drank the rest of her drink.   


“She is too far gone. She forgot the rules of the game.” Brian laughed.   


Roger drank. And Veronica too.   


Freddie and Brian eye widened looking at their bandmate’s wife. John looked at her, mouth open, feeling nothing less than betrayed. His cheeks turned red when she looked at him and gave him a peck.   


“Fucking hell.” John groaned and took a sip too, and after that, he stood up and walked to the kitchen.   


Veronica got worried about her husband and followed him.   


Brian looked to the others and gasped. “Wow, that was a revelation.”   


“Dom, can I talk to you for a bit?” Roger showed a fake smile and walked to the yard, his friend walking behind him.   


When they reached the yard, he looked back. No one was near him, so he turned back to the brunette woman.   


“What the hell, Dom?” Roger was angry with her. “You know damn well we had a threesome, and you know damn well that John doesn’t want anyone to know about it.”   


“Calm down, Rog.” Dom frowned, not recognizing her friend’s anger. “It’s just a game.”   


“Dom, John started to trust me just now. If something happens, It’ll make it go back to the start.”   


Roger didn’t want to be just an acquaintance to John again. He liked to see the bass player smiling at him, to share funny stories in a pub, to comment with John about the movie he watched at the weekend...   


Only the thought made his stomach roll – maybe the alcohol helped too.   


“Oh, God.” Dominique looked at the drummer, surprised. “Are you starting to fancy him, Rog?”


	10. Can't you see

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you ready?

John wasn’t in a good mood when Veronica reached him. No one supposed to know about his sexual life – he got extra shy about telling his friends about his wife getting pregnant, to start with – and now Ronnie said to Freddie and Brian that they already shared a bed with a third person.   


Little they knew the third person was in the Truth or Dare game.   


“John...” Veronica touched his shoulder narrowly. “I’m sorry.”   


He took a deep breath. He didn’t want to yell:  Veronica was drunk, his bandmates and Dominique were close, and he couldn’t ask her to hold a secret that in some way wasn’t hers.   


But he was still mad with her.   


“Ronnie, we promise that it would be just between us.” John was now massaging his temples. “Now there will be questions, and I...” John breathed deeply again. “I’m not ready yet.”   


“You don’t need to tell them if you don’t want to.” Veronica got closer to him.    


“Yeah, but you make it very hard when you slip up about our private life like this.” He said, accusatory.   


John never wanted to be so tight, so retrained like that. He was afraid all the time: if someone looked between him and the Queen drummer, it could show that they shared more than just the rhythm section.    


He remembered one time Roger took off his shirt during a rehearsal because he got too sweaty, and the brunet thought his glance lingered too much on Roger’s abs, and for days he kept wondering if the rest of the band noticed that moment of weakness.   


Not only with Roger, but sometimes he wanted to check on some hot guy and he needed to make some excuse to look at him; sometimes John invented a story that reminded him of the shirt a random man was wearing, or even making a stupid joke about someone’s haircut. The bass player was in the closet for so long that he’d become an expert on finding excuses about staring and admiring a man without being suspicious.   


“I’m sorry, babe. It was an impulse.” and she giggled, childishly.   


“But you can’t be like that, Ronnie.” Said John.   


“It was fun, though.”   


John rolled his eyes, but laughed either way. “Promise you won’t be this impulsive again.”   


“Promise.” And she gave him a peck.   


\---   


Dominique seemed more sober than ever, and she looked directly at her friend’s face, which was very red right now.   


“Oh my God, Roger!” exclaimed the french woman, putting her hand over the chest. “You broke the rule number one of a threesome. The unicorn can’t fall in love.”    


“I’m not...” Roger heard his tone. It’s way too loud. So he said in a rushed whisper; “I’m not falling in love! It’s just...It’s complicated.”   


“What’s complicated, Rog?” she asked, disbelieving. “What’s so complicated about this equation?”   


“Because I thought I’d never see them again. It was supposed to be a one-time thing, and I agreed with that. But then...John and I got in the same band, and...”   


“...and he’s soft, cute and a smartass just like you. I know your type, Taylor!” she rolled her eyes, still upset with the situation her best friend just got into.   


Roger hated how Dominique liked to put words in his mouth. “No! It’s because we got closer, and it’s weird to see him, and remember that I already saw him in a sexual manner.”   


He sat in the next chair. The situation was stressing him out in the last few days. John wasn’t a difficult person, like he tried to be in the beginning. He’s smart, a bit sarcastic but in a way that made Roger laugh, and he had a good logic to music, helping him out with drumming (usually the blond would snap at anyone that would give him tips, but he accepted John’s help).   


And his fucking brain was a bitch and sometimes when he was talking with John he pictured him naked, his mouth watering with the image of John’s dark nipples, slim belly, strong and long legs. Everything got harder when John was dancing in front of him, remembering John's rounded ass moving against Roger’s cock while John himself pumped his hand on his own cock.   


All this was making a big mess in Roger’s mind.   


“I want to see him as a friend, not as...a bed partner.” Roger felt weird with his word choices.   


“Fuck, even you trying to explain yourself sounds stupid.” Dominique didn’t recognise him. “Usually you know how to express what you mind.”   


“See? I’m in trouble!”   


The woman went in front of Roger and hugged him, caringly. She was truly worried. After all that easy-going boyish façade, Roger was too kind, and she was afraid that he could hurt himself.   


And for that she needed to explain that to him. “Rog, they are married, and they look happy and in love with each other. I don’t think there’s room for a third person there.”   


Roger huffed, tired. “I know. That’s why I need to be okay with John, actually okay with him.” He moved away to look at her eyes. “And to do that you can’t make those things about me. Play around like it’s all fun.”   


Dominique nodded, knowing that was her fault on that.   


“He doesn’t want to be exposed, and I respect that. And you should as well. Just because it was easy for us to come out, doesn’t mean everyone is ready to.”   


“I know, Rog. I need to be more emphatic with him. He’s from our community, even though he’s a closeted one.” Dominique said. And with a big pout, she said “I’m sorry.”   


Roger laughed. He couldn’t be truly mad at that woman. “Okay. Let’s go inside again.”   


\---   


The two pairs came to the living room at the same time, finding Freddie texting something on his phone and Brian rolling the bottle, annoyed.    


“Oh, finally!” Freddie smiled when he saw the other four. “So, John...”   


“Freddie, clearly John doesn’t want to bring the subject up.” Brian said, a bit tired (maybe the alcohol was finishing its effect on him). “So don’t push him.”   


“Okay, okay. Now that was getting juicy...”   


“I think we should go home.” John announced, with Veronica nodding.   


“Nonsense.” Dominique shook her head. “Everyone drank too much, and I’d be a horrible host if I let any of you drive right now. I have enough room for all of you.”   


John looked to his wife, who just shrugged. “Alright, then.”   


“We’re not gonna call the night, right?” asked Freddie, cautious. “ Because I didn’t change Roger’s dare.”   


The main singer gave a devious smile to the drummer, and the last one laughed. “Okay, okay. Give me my dare.”   


“Just to finish the night I dare you to kiss John.”   


The room went silent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you ready for this?


	11. Boys

_ “May I kiss your husband, Veronica?” Roger questioned, his eyes still glued on John’s. _ _   
_

_ It was insane how the whole thing made him more turned on. The couple seemed a bit nervous and unprepared – as they said they never did this before – but they were eager to do it. They invited him, after all. _ _   
_

_ And John....ugh, John was pure gold. Shy, but determined. Delicate, but strong. Roger knew he wouldn’t forget easily the way his eyes were on him – like he could eat him alive, but only with a stare. Roger always liked to be desired, but it’s like the brunet man wanted to mark him, and he was curious to find out if that was true. _ _   
_

_ “Yes, please do.” Veronica whimpered, maybe as pleased with the idea as they were. _ _   
_

_ Roger leaned in, his body against John’s, and he could see John looking at him with nervous excitement. Maybe it had been a while since he kissed another guy. _ _   
_

_ The blond’s hand traveled to John’s napel, and he saw him biting his lower lip, with his touch. John opened his mouth milliseconds before their lips touched... _

“Are you serious?” John asked, looking anything but calm.    


Freddie was smiling, deviously, and Roger and Veronica shared a look. What the hell was happening?   


Brian was frowning, and after some moments, he looked at the front man. “Tell me it’s not about that day Roger got a date.”   


“Of course it is.” Replied Freddie, nodding strongly. “I know John is working on it, but I can sense he’s still insecure about Roger.”   


John took a deep breath. Freddie didn’t know shit about his insecurities.   


“So that’s a good way to show how welcome he is, and that he’s okay with a bisexual man around him.” Freddie gave a defiant stare to the bass player, crossing his arms.   


“Come on, Freddie, we’ve been friends for years, of course I’m not homophobic!” yelled John.   


“Alright, alright, let’s not argue about this.” Tried Brian.   


“We’re not arguing. Only if Deaky wants to.”   


Roger was quiet until now, trying to absorb the information – because kissing John in front of a lot of people was the opposite of what he needed right now. “Freddie, the dare is for me, not for Deaky.” He spoke.   


“Shut up, blondie. You will like it, Veronica already told me he’s a great kisser.”   


_ Fuck, I already know that _ , thought Roger.   


“Ok, this is stupid, I’m leaving.” John said, grabbing his phone and wallet.   


But before he could walk to the door, he felt a hand on his wrist. He looked back and saw Roger holding it. The drummer looked as terrified as him.   


“What the –” but John was cut off by Roger.   


“May I kiss your husband, Veronica?” asked Roger, in a plain tone.   


Veronica looked between the two several times, and in the end said “Okay.”   


John couldn’t believe it. He was about to kiss a man in front of Brian and Freddie.   


He was about to kiss _Roger_ in front of Brian and Freddie.   


Roger cupped the brunette’s face and whispered loud enough for John to hear “Don’t be scared. Let’s just get this over with.”   


The other four watched the movement of Roger getting closer to John speechlessly, seeing John getting more tense with every inch that Roger took between them.   


And then John thought ‘fuck it’ and closed his eyes, accepting the fucking fate. He just needed to pretend it was a meaningless kiss.   


The problem was that John still remembered the taste of Roger’s lips, and hell, they tasted so good. He promised himself he wouldn’t melt like that night – or else he’d need more confessions to make.   


But when Roger landed his lips on John's, the bass player felt he was in that hotel room again, realizing his and Veronica’s fantasy, and his heart got faster when the drummer’s hands held his face tightly, and he relaxed his lips when Roger opened his lips a bit. He just needed to play along, but not too much.   


Roger could feel John wouldn’t kiss him back, maybe because the fear...or maybe because he wasn’t into it. That meant he would need to do all the work. So when John parted his lips, the blond glued their mouths more, tasting the alcohol the other man had drunk that night and something that reminded him of the night they met. Maybe it was John’s own taste.   


The drummer sucked John’s upper lip a couple of times, trying to not get too excited with the heat of John’s flesh against his.   


“I can’t believe these two morons did it!” this exclamation of Freddie made them fall apart, like they got shocked.   


Roger and John looked to each other, trying to see in the other’s eyes something other than embarrassment. Waiting for...more than they should.   


Before they could move, Freddie involved them with his arms, hugging them at the same time. “I was holding in my laugh just to see how far you’d go.”   


The bass player blinked in disbelief. “What? Are you telling me,” John pulled himself out of the embrace. “that I kissed another person in front of my wife...because you’re playing around?”   


“Well, she said yes, so I think she’s okay with it.” Freddie shrugged unpretentiously. “Looks like I know so little about this couple.”   


“I can’t believe you.” Huffed John, walking to the kitchen.   


Freddie looked to the others, biting his own thumb, guilt all over his face. Then Veronica came closer to the man and touched his arm. “Don’t worry about him. In the morning, he will forgive you.”   


“Are you sure?” asked Freddie, looking more worried.   


“I’m sure.” And she turned to Dominique. “Dom, show me the guest room. I’m knackered.”   


\---    


Roger was the first to wake up. The headache was expected, of course, so he took a painkiller first thing. He walked around only in his sweatpants (that Dominique had in her house) towards the backyard. The morning was chilly, and he yawned loudly, not caring if he’d scare someone.   


Tonight was a weird night. After a lot of thought, he wanted to erase that night. Maybe he never should have invited his bandmates to the party – who would have thought that an innocent invitation could mess with his head?   


In a moment of pure fright he considered quitting Queen. Maybe John wouldn’t want to see his face ever again.   


He couldn’t recognize himself. He never was like that; Roger wasn’t one for being easily scared away, especially from people. But now he was afraid to lose a person that, somehow, had turned out to be important to him.   


“Aren’t you freezing?”   


Roger shouted with the voice. His heart jumped and he put his hand over his chest, trying to calm himself down.   


“Fuck, Deaky. You scared me.” The drummer said, looking at the man.   


He looked rested, even though his face was still showing signs that he just woke up.   


“Sorry. It wasn’t my intention.” John walked forwards so that he was next to him, looking to the backyard. “Did you sleep well?”   


“Slept alright. Never got the eight hours, you know? But I’m okay.” He moved his head, his neck cracking a bit with it. “Veronica’s still asleep?”   


“Yes. Although I have to wake her up soon. Rob needs to be fed before ten.”   


Roger swallowed hard. Damn perfect parents.   


“John, about yesterday –” Roger looked at him, but John raised his hand.   


“That’s fine. Freddie did that stupid prank on us. That’s all.” John looked back inside the house. No one was awake so far. And then he showed a dirty smile. “Actually Ronnie got really turned on.”   


The picture of John and Veronica fucking in Dominique’s guess bedroom, John muffling his wife’s mouth so she couldn’t moan, instantly popped into his mind.   


_ Fuck. He should be there. _ _   
_

“But this didn’t change anything at our...er...” Roger looked to the floor, trying to find the right word.   


“No, Rog.” John put his hand on Roger’s shoulder. “We’re fine.”   


‘Fine’. Somehow that was not enough for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts?


	12. Baby, baby

“Why is Freddie here?”

Roger was called by John to babysit Robert that night, while John and Veronica would go to a dinner with the woman’s coworkers. And since the drummer didn’t have much to do, he agreed. But he got surprised to see his flatmate there as well.

“I thought that it’d be nice for you to have company, so the night wouldn’t be boring.” John showed a polite smile.

“Bullshit, Roger.” Freddie rolled his eyes. “He said that you and me equals ‘one responsable person’, dear.”

Roger mockingly put his hand on his chest, offended. “How dare you, Deaky?”

John giggled softly, emphasizing his wrinkles, and Roger thought it’d be better to use the moment to cumpriment Veronica and Robert.

The baby stared at Roger with big eyes, somehow making the adult man nervous. John was right, he didn’t knew a thing about babies, he basically accepted the job to be in good terms with the bass player.

“Relax, you two,” said Veronica, with a smile. “this isn’t rock science.”

And she gave them some directions about the feeding and how to make Robert burp. Veronica said they could call them anytime, and they could eat anything from the fridge.

Only when the woman handed Robert to Freddie was that Roger actually looked to Veronica’s dress. It was a very tight black dress, perfect to show off her legs, and she combed her hair to make it more fluffy.

“Wow, you look very nice, Ronnie.” Commented Roger.

She looked at her, and John saw a blush running over her cheeks. But he rather staying watching Freddie playing peek-a-boo with his son.

“Thanks, Roger.” Veronica touched shyly her hair again. “Let’s go, John?”

“Alright.” John turned to his friends. “Please, keep my son alive.”

“You’re the worse, Deacon.” Claimed Freddie.

-

In the end babysitting Robert wasn’t very hard. Basically they watched the boy crawling over the living room, babbling something with his toys and sometimes they played along with the boy.

At some point they found Harry Potter and the Globet of Fire passing at TV and they decided to watch. Robert was between them, and he yelled excited when he saw the dragons.

During a scene, Roger bit his lip and spoke “Freddie, can I confess something for you?”

“Of course, darling.” Affirmed Freddie, before putting a handful of popcorn on his mouth.

“Cedric Diggory was my sexual awakening.”

Freddie looked at him and finished chewing, swallowing the popcorn, and smirked to his friend. “Wow, that’s not bad. He’s a cutie.”

“That’s not the worse part.” Roger could see Freddie’s eyes shining with interest. “Once I went to a potterhead convention, drank a little and asked to Cedric cosplay to kiss me.”

“Oh my!” Freddie giggled. “And...Did he kiss you?”

“Yes. That was my first kiss with a boy.”

Freddie laughed more. Robert jumped with the sound and showed a look to the man. “I’m sorry, love.” Freddie gently caressed the baby’s head. And eyeing again to Roger, he continued “I never imagined you’d have such a crush on Hufflepuffs. I mean, I’m a Slytherin.”

“I thought we already agreeded we’re too good to date each other.” Roger winked, playful.

“Sad but true. Brian is a Ravenclaw and you’re a Gryffindor, of course.”

“Nah, I’m a Slytherin too.”

“You, a Slytherin?” Freddie raised an eyebrow. “Please. You’re too stubborn and I’m-the-hero kind of guy. Gryffindor. John is a Hufflepuff, obviously. To be fair, everytime I think of Cedric he comes to my mind.”

Roger felt his throat getting dry. Freddie was so fucking right.

“How about you? What’s your first famous crush?” Roger asked quickly, trying to step out of the spotlight.

“Richard from F.R.I.E.N.D.S.” Freddie sighed nostalgically. “He’s so serious and...manly.”

“Daddy issues alert!” teased Roger.

“Oh no, stop that! Why everybody says this to me?” Freddie put out his tongue, disgusted. “By the way, my parents will visit us soon, just to be sure you’re not a bad influence to me.”

“Me being the bad influence? They don’t know their own child?”

“Very funny. They’re just very protective. When I came out they said they’re afraid of something happen to me. Bashing, you know?”

“I understand.”

“They don’t show much, but they love me.”

Roger smiled to him. “That’s nice.”

“How about your parents? They support you?”

So far Roger had been pretty quiet about his family. He only talked about his little sister, and Freddie never wanted to push it.

“Well, I don’t heard about my father since I was twelve, and last time I remember he hit me in the face because I was ‘too fairy’. Mom isn’t totally okay with it, but at least she doesn’t talk about it.” Roger said, trying to not sound more sore than it should.

But eitherway Freddie covered his mouth, horrified. “Oh, dear! I’m so sorry to hear that.”

Roger shrugged. “He used to call me ‘rainbow boy’, in a very pejorative tone. Like it was terrible to be queer.”

“I’m glad he’s out of your life.”

“Me too.”

And they heard a sound of licking lips. They looked down and saw Robert chewing his upper lip, and they remembered what Veronica said about he doing this.

“Go get his bottle.” Asked Roger.

Freddie stood up and walked to the kitchen while Roger, with delicacy, grabbed the baby boy and put on his own lap. Robert looked to him, like he didn’t know why he did that. And that’s when the drummer noticed how the boy’s eyes looked like John’s.

When his life got so surreal to the point he’s babysitting the baby of the couple he hooked up with?

“Do you mind to feed him?” Freddie asked, a bit nervous. “I love Robert, but John scares me of how protective he is with his kid.”

“Uh...Okay.” Roger was also scared, but then he looked at the boy.

He needed to be fed.

Roger dropped some of the milk on his own hand, just to certificate it’s warm enough for the baby, and then he put the bottle nipple close to the boy’s mouth. Recognizing it, Robert grabbed the bottle and put his mouth on it, starting to suck it.

He kept looking to Roger with big eyes, and the blond couldn’t break the contact, seeing the boy softening his expression, and on his arms.

“Looks you’re winning him too, blondie.” Said Freddie, with a smile.

Without noticing, Roger smiled. “I hope so.”

-

After burping a little, Robert didn’t linger too much time to sleep. Freddie was too catious to get the boy on his room alone, so they let the boy sleeping at Roger’s arms. They were in the middle of the second movie when the couple came back.

“Wow, the house is like we left, and the baby is still alive.” John commented, when they stepped at the living room.

“Alive and peacefully sleeping.” Said Freddie, proud.

Veronica took Robert from Roger and walked upstairs. John waited his wife to disappeared at the room to turned around. “Seems everything was okay here.”

“Don’t sound so shocked.” Roger rolled his eyes.

John laughed softly. “I’m just taking the piss. I’m glad you both could be here tonight. I owe you.”

“What kind of uncles would be us if we didn’t take care of Rob once in a while?” Freddie just flicked his wrist.

John exchanged a look with Roger. ‘Uncle Roger’ would be so personal.

Veronica showed up again, with a kind smile. “Thank you Freddie and Roger one more time for taking your time for Robert.”

“Always, Ronnie.” Freddie gave her a hug.

Veronica yawned quickly, muffling her mouth in the next second. Freddie and Roger laughed. “I think it’s our moment to go.” Declared Roger.

The couple kept thanking the other two for the night and apologizing for any trouble.

John and Veronica hugged Freddie and the younger brunet was opening the door for Freddie when Veronica moved to Roger and kissed him in the cheek.

Her lips landed dangerously close to Roger’s lips corner, and the blond froze for a couple of seconds. Freddie was already passing the door when it happened, but John didn’t miss that moment.

“Thanks again, Rog.” Whispered Veronica.

Roger swallowed dry. And without thinking he said “Anytime.”

The drummer got so nervous that he just nodded to John and passed the open door.

When John closed the front door Veronica was already chasing the stairs.

“Hey, don’t run away.” John demanded, but she didn’t listen anyway.

When John arrived at their bedroom, the woman was already changing her clothes, not looking at him.

“What was that?” John asked. “And don’t give the ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about’, because you do. You...” John closed his eyes, massaging his forehead. “You almost kissed Roger in front of Freddie. What the hell?”

“I didn’t mean to. I just...missed the cheek.” Veronica looked guilt to her husband.

But John knew her better than that. That’s her trying to turning him on with the forbidden fruit.

“Bullshit.” John walked slowly to her, while she was trying to taking off her bra.

He helped her, and Veronica didn’t move, showing off her chest to John.

“Maybe it is. Maybe I just wanted to remember how he tastes like.” Her tone was low now. Dangerous.

_Roger was seeing Veronica opening widely her mouth, while she was adjusting herself above her husband. John could see the smirk at the other man’s lips, holding his wife’s legs to stay spread._

_They both could feel the woman shivering around them._

_“How you’re feeling, honey?” asked Roger._

_“Full.” Veronica managed to speak._

_“Alright. So let’s keep this party going, John?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still thinking if I will make a flashback of the threesome

**Author's Note:**

> I need to know what you think about it


End file.
